Keyboard mechanism for typographical machines.



2 SHEETS-SHEET I Patented June 6, 1916.

L. L. KENNEDY. KEYBOARD MEHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES.. APPLICATION FILED IAY l?. l9l5.

C2 l L 7i- B fL\\\\\` mt l' *z v 'in L. LAKENNEDY.

KEYBOARD MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES.v

Arrucmou msn www, 191s.

1,186,207. Patented June 6,1916.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES LUTHER L. KENNEDY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW

YORK, ASSIGN OR TO MERGENTHALER LINOIYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

KEYBOARD MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAIPHICAL MACHINES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1916.

Application Vtiled May 17, 1915. Serial No. 28,615.

'To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, LUTHER L. KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 4Keyboard Mechanism for Typographical Machines, of

` which the following is a specication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to keyboard mechanisms, and more particularly to the kind now in general use in the commercial linotype machine, or as illustrated in the U. S. Letters Patent No. 530,931 to P. T. Dodge, dated December 18th, 1894. As employed in such machines, the keyboard mechanism ordinarily comprises a series of pivoted power-driven cam yokes, adapted to actuate a series of vertical reeds or bars, which in turn operate the escapements controlling the release of the matrices from the magazine. In practice, it sometimes happens that the movement of an escapement is resisted by a matrix in improper position in the magazine, or for other reasons, and in such event it is desirable that the parts may yield so as to prevent their breakage or undue strain thereon. To this end, it has been proposed to form the cam yokes with open vertical slots, which allow them to shift vertically with relation to their pivot rod, and to provide spring-actuated plungers which stand above the yokes and hold them yieldingly upon the pivot rod. Such a construction is shown in the U. S. Letters Patent to Carl Muehleisen, No. 1,056,355.

It' has been found in practice that the foregoing construction is not altogether free from objection, as the parts are somewhat uncertain in their action, due to the tendency of the plungers to stick or bind, and to the difficulty of securing and maintaining the proper tension of their actuating springs. In addition, the parts are expensive to manufacture, and much time and labor is required to assemble theml and obtain their proper adjustment.

It, is the principal object of my present invention to avoid the objections above noted, and to provide a construction which will not only be simple in character and certaln v1n action, but will also be inexpensive and capable of quick and easy assemblage. To this end, specifically, I propose to em.- ploy a spring plate of comb-like form, having its' tongues bent back under themselves 1n such manner as to engage the cam yokes at or near their pivotal points. In this way, the yokes are` held securely upon their pivots, and at the same time are allowed to yield in the event of undue resistance. I also arrange the spring engage the cam yokes just in advance of their pivotal points and thus, by exerting a constant spring pressure upon them, the tongues act to depress the yokes at their opposite or active ends and insure the rapid engagementof their cams with the driving rolls, when the yokes are released by the finger keys.

Other objects and the means whereby they are attained will subsequently appear and finally be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have Vshown my invention merely in preferred form and by way of example, and as aplied to a mechanism of the class stated,

ut obviously many changes and variations may be made therein, and in its mode of application, which will still be comprised within its spirit. Generally speaking, I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to any except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section and broken away, of the keyboard mechanism of a linotype machine, with my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detached view showing the operation of the parts; Fig. 3 is a front view of the upper part of the keyboard as shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the' proved spring p ate.

`As usual in linotype machines, the matrices are released from their magazine by tongues so that they specific form or embodiment,

escapements, which are operated vby a series of vertically movable rods or reeds A suitably guided in the framework, and constantly urged downward by strong springs (not shown). The upward movements of the reeds a ainst the action of their springs are e'ecte by horizontally disposed yokes B, arranged as customary in two banks or series, and with their inner ends in position to engage the reeds. At their oppsite ends, the yokes are formed with vertical open slots B1 which lit over transverse pivot wires or rods B2 in the framework; and between their ends, the yokes are provided with rotaryv cams 0r eccentrics C, pivoted thereto as at C2, and adapted to be rotated by the underlying power-driven rolls D, there being one roll for each series of yokes., At their inner ends, the yokes B are supported upon angular pivoted .dogs E, which hold the yokes at such height as to maintain thel cams C outk of engagement with the rolls D, the cams in this position of the parts being held against rotary motion by their engagement with fixed stops C1 on the framework. When, however, the dogs E are moved, the cam yokes are tripped and allowed to drop, with the result that the cams C are disengaged from the stops C1 and come into contact with one or the other of the rolls D, causing the cam yokes to be reciprocated in the usual manner. 'Ihe dogs E are controlled by the vertical bars F slidably arranged in the framework and operated by the key levers G.

The parts so far described and their mode of operation are substantially the same as embodied in the commercial linotype machine, or as illustrated in either of the patents above mentioned.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a spring plate K of comb-like form and having its tongues or fingers K1 bent back under themselves so as to constitute a series of leaf springs and spaced apart so as to overlie the respective cam yokes of a' series. It will be understood, of course, that there will be two such plates K, one for each series of yokes, and since they are identical in form, a description of one and its mode of attachment and operation will suliice. The spring plate K is secured firmly in place between a pair of transverse bars H and J, connected together by clamping screws H1, the plate being so located that its tongues K1 will bear with spring tension upon the corresponding series of cam yokes slightly in advance of the pivot rod B2. This arrangement subserves a three-fold purpose T first, to hold the rear ends of the cam yokes down in proper position on their pivot rod; second, to urge the active ends of the yokes downward under constant spring pressure, so that they are certain to fall when re- 1,1ee,aov v leased by the dogs E; and third, to permit the upward yielding of the yokes at their pivoted ends in the event of undue resistance being offered to their actuating movement,

' due to the binding or arrest of the escapement-actuating reeds A. rIhe operation of the parts under the condition last named is illustrated in Fig. 2, where it will be seen that one of the yokes in the front series has been arrested by the undue resistance of the corresponding reed A. As a result, the yoke B is lifted upwardly at'its'outer end away from the pivot rod B2 and compresses the overlying tongue K1 of the plate K. When the cam has completed its rotation, the spring tongue presses the yoke down again to its proper position upon the pivot rod. In other words, the individual spring tongues serve in the normal operation of the parts to hold the yokes securely in position upon their pvot rod, but allow them to yield readily in relation thereto in the event of un ue resistance and thus prevent breakage of the parts or undue strain thereon.

As is well known, the provision of the open slots B1 in the cam yokes not only permits their yielding as just described, but also their independent removal. In order therefore to give access to the cam yokes for this or any other purpose, the bars H and J, between which the spring plate K is held, are carried by arms H2 (only one being shown in Fig. 3), which are pivotally mounted upon the rod B2, so that the parts may beswung downward to an inoperative position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will also be noted that the spring plate K may be readily removed from between the bars H and J by loosening the clamping screws H1.

As previously stated, I have shown my invention merely in preferred form and by way of example, but obviously many modications and alterations may be made therein without departure from its scope. n

For instance, the spring tongues which bear upon the respective yokes of a series, may be made separate and entirely independent if desired, and their particular method of attachment to or support in the framework may also be altered. These and various other changes will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention, its construction and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to 'secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

l. In a keyboard mechanism of the class described, the combination of an actuating reed, a cam yoke arranged with one of its ends in position to engage the reed and pivoted at its opposite end, the said yoke eing adapted to yield at its pivoted end in the event of undue resistance offered by the reed, and a spring plate having one end fixed to'the framework and its'other end arranged in engagement with the pivoted end of theyoke to resist its yielding' movement.

2. In a keyboard mechanism of the class described, the combination of an actuating reed, a cam yoke arranged with one of its ends in position to engage the reed and pivoted at its opposite end, the said yoke being adapted to yield at its pivoted end in the event of undue resistance offered by the reed, and a spring late having a tongue bent under itself wit its free end in position to engage the yoke at its upper side to resist its yielding movement.

3. In a keyboard mechanism of the class described, the combination of an actuating reed, a cam yoke arranged with one of its ends in position to engage the reed and pivoted at its opposite end, the said yoke being adapted to yield at its pivoted end in the event of undue resistance offered by the reed, and a spring element supported in the framework above the yoke and bearing with spring pressure thereupon in advance of its pivotal point; whereby the said element not only serves to hold the yoke in proper position at its pivoted end but also tends to depress its 'active end, for the purpose described.

4. In a keyboard mechanism of the class described, the combination of a series of actuating reeds, a series of cam yokes arranged with their inner ends in position to engage the reeds and pivoted at their opposite ends, the said yokes being adapted to yield 'at their pivoted ends in event of undue resistance offered by the reeds, and a spring plate of comb-like form having its tongues bent-back under themselves in position to engage and bear upon the upper sides of the yokes at or near their pivotal points, in the manner and for the purpose described.

5. In a keyboard mechanism of the class described, the combination of a series of actuating reeds, a series of cam yokes arranged With their inner ends in position to engage the reeds and pivoted at their opposite ends,- the said yokes being adapted to yield at their pivoted ends in event of undue resistance offered by the reeds, a spring plate l of comb-like form having its tongues bent back under themselves in position to engage,

and bear upon the upper sides of the yokes at or near their pivotal points, and a support for the spring plate, said plate being detachably connected to the said support so as to be removable therefrom at will.

6. In a keyboard mechanism of the class described, the combination of a series of` actuating reeds, a series of cam yokes arranged with their inner ends in position to engage the reeds and pivoted at their opresistance offered by the reeds, a spring plate of comb-like form having its tongues bent back under themselves in position to engage and bear upon the upper sides of the yokes at or near their pivotal points, and a supporting frame for said spring plate, said frame being mounted in the framework so as to be moved from its operative position to carry the plate out of engagement with the yokes.

7. In a keyboard mechanism of the class described, the combination of an actuating reed, a cam yoke arranged with one of its ends in position to engage the reed and formed at its opposite end with a vertical open slot, a pivot rod to engage Within the slot, and a spring element'engaging the yoke in advance of the pivot rod and exerting a constant pressure thereon, for the purposes described.

8. Ina keyboard mechanism of the class described, thecombination of an actuating reed, a cam yoke arranged with one of its ends in position to engage the reed and formed at'its opposite end with a vertical open slot, a pivot rod to engage within the slot, and a spring plate having one end fixed to the framework and its other end arranged in engagement with the yoke to hold it yieldingly in place upon the pivot rod.

9. In a keyboard mechanism of the class described, the combination. of a series of actuating reeds, a corresponding series of cam yokes arranged with their inner ends in position to engage the reeds and formed at their opposite ends with vertical open slots, a pivot rod to engage within the slots, and a spring plate of comb-like form having its tongues bent back under themselves to engage the yokes at their upper sides and hold them yieldingly down upon the pivot rod.

10. In a keyboard mechanism of the class described, the combination of an actuating reed, a cam yoke arranged with one of its ends in position to engage the reed and pivoted at its opposite end, the said yoke being adapted to yield at its pivoted end in the event of undue resistance offered by the reed, a spring plate having one end fixed to a support and its other end arranged in engagement with the pivoted endof the yoke to resist its yielding movement, and the support for the spring plate, said plate being detachably connected to the support so as to be removable therefrom at will.

11. In a keyboard mechanism of the class described, the combination of. an actuating Liemeer? event of undue resistance oered b the reed, position to carry the plete out of engagement a spring plete having one end fixed to a, sup- With the cam yoke. porting frame and its other end arranged In testimony whereof, I have eflixed my in engagement with the pivoted end of the signature in presence of two witnesses.

yoke to resist its yielding movement, and LUTHER L. KENNEDY. the supporting frame for the spring plate, Witnesses: the said frame being mounted in the frame- E. H. ALLEN,

work so as to be moved from its operative EDWARD GRANT. 

